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Consolidated "Access to Lufthansa Lounge at IAD" Thread [Merged]

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Old Aug 2, 2013, 9:15 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: nacho
Why does this lounge have its own thread?
Unlike most non–United Club Star Alliance (*A) lounges in the United States, the Lufthansa lounge at IAD is physically accessible to domestic UA passengers. This means:
  1. United *G members may access the lounge on domestic itineraries, even though they wouldn't be allowed free access to the United Clubs on such itineraries.
  2. Passengers who otherwise have United Club access, whether due to a paid membership or a foreign *G card, have the option of a vastly superior lounge in IAD.
What is the Lufthansa Lounge at IAD like?
There are two floors to the lounge: the concourse level, where you enter and check in, which also has the Senator lounge with ample windows; and the lower level, which has the Business lounge and showers. (The showers are very nice; on par with Senator lounge showers in Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub.)

The Senator lounge offers a complimentary buffet throughout the day, including hot dishes, salads, and dry snacks, and has draught beer and a full open bar including champagne, available upon request.

[Need description of FTL offering. Include photos?]

How do I get there?
The lounge is located at the center of the B concourse, from where non-US airlines depart, to the right of the Aerotrain escalators as you enter the concourse from the train.

Hours have changed seasonally, but, as of April 2014, are 8:20 to 21:30 except Mondays, when the lounge closes at 17:30. It also closes daily from 12:00 to 13:30. Some report the lounge opening earlier on occasion and some report it closing earlier on occasion.

From TSA/check-in, the B concourse is one stop away by Aerotrain, but in the opposite direction of the C concourse from where most United flights depart. Allow 20 minutes between the center of the C concourse and the Lufthansa Lounge. The longest part of the trip is the walk between the C concourse proper and its Aerotrain stop. Between concourses B and C, the Aerotrain makes two stops: one at concourse A and one at the main terminal/TSA/baggage claim.

How do I get inside?
With...
  • Any Star Gold (*G) card (including UA Premier Gold and higher) and a same-day departing *A boarding pass in any class to any destination, domestic or international. There are reports (April 2014) that the physical card is no longer necessary; a *G designation on the boarding pass reflected in the barcode may be sufficient. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)
  • A LH/LX HON/SEN card and a same-day departing or arriving *A boarding pass to/from any destination, domestic or international. (Senator lounge, 1 guest [plus spouse if HON] plus children under 18)
  • A LH/LX FTL card and a same-day departing *A boarding pass in any class to any destination, domestic or international. (Business lounge, no guests)
  • A LH Premium Economy boarding pass with ($35 adult/$20 2-12yo child) lounge pass purchased at the ticket counter. [Can it be paid at the entrance?] (Business lounge, no guests)
  • A United Club or Maple Leaf Lounge Worldwide membership card and a same-day departing *A boarding pass in any class to any destination, domestic or international. (Business lounge, 1 guest)
  • A same-day international departing *A First (Senator lounge, 1 guest) or Business (Business lounge, no guests) boarding pass
  • A same-day arriving LH/LX First boarding pass. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)

In all cases, each guest must also present a same-day *A boarding pass for admission.

Lounge access for travel in a domestic premium cabin is not regulated by *A; as such, UA F domestic passengers (without other credentials) do not have access to the LH Lounge according to *A.com, just as they do not have access to the United Clubs. However, the international requirement for C/F tickets is conspicuously absent from Lufthansa's own lounge access sheet (see below), and domestic UA F passengers have reported admission. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)
[If we get (semi-)official confirmation of this policy, we'll add this to the bullets.]

Provided the lounge does not get overcrowded, as is often the case on US-based LH lounges, you may exit and re-enter the lounge as often as you wish. Note that if you are entering on a lounge pass, which are issued by Lufthansa to their own elites for various reasons, re-entry might not be allowed.

(If your access question wasn't addressed by the above, first check the *A access policy and LH's official access policy [generally relying on the least restrictive policy of the two if they appear to conflict], and if they answer a question that this wiki couldn't, update this wiki to help others! And if they don't, ask in the thread!)

So, can I use the lounge upon arrival in IAD?
Only LH/LX SEN/HON (on any *A carrier) and LH/LX F passengers have access to the lounge upon arrival at IAD without regard to onward travel. See the list above for more details. There are reports, however, of passengers not meeting this criteria presenting their arriving boarding pass and still being admitted.

Furthermore, note that, by virtue of not having access to the terminal, no international passenger whose journey ends at IAD has access to the lounge; they will be ferried by mobile lounge to the International Arrivals Building, which deposits passengers landside. [Can pax without checked bags choose to clear CBP in concourse C regardless? Also, do arriving passengers on LH/LX/*A F/C connecting at IAD to Y-class flights have access? According to LH.com, pax arriving in C on LH/LX can use the lounges in Germany and at JFK upon arrival to freshen up. Is the same courtesy extended at IAD?]

How does the Senator lounge compare to the newest Senator lounges in FRA?
Not favorably. The Senator lounge is like the old FRA lounges (cramped, and before a LH flight departure, crowded). Perhaps due to the crowding, LH offers its departing F pax preboarding from the Senator lounge, something which the FRA/MUC FCT/FCL does not offer but is common among LH's outstation lounges. So, enjoying champagne and macadamias at the nose or upper deck while waiting is a nice feature of the IAD Senator lounge.

This sounds too good to be true!
Lufthansa agrees! If the rumors are true, as of January 1, 2015, LH's Business Lounges will become its *G lounges, which means non-LH *Gs will be directed downstairs to the Business lounge after that date. There's some discussion of exceptions, most notable being that *G traveling in longhaul business class will still be admitted to the SEN lounge. Lufthansa has been more generous than most *A airlines in admitting *Gs to its designated *A First class lounges—not even UA's own 1Ks get to visit United's first class lounges without a first class ticket—so this change will bring Lufthansa somewhat more in line with the rest of the alliance. Went to the LH IAD lounge in June 2016 with TK G and SK BP flying Y, we were directed into the Senator lounge.
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Consolidated "Access to Lufthansa Lounge at IAD" Thread [Merged]

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Old Apr 11, 2011, 3:29 pm
  #676  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
Originally Posted by CollegeFlyer
2. As long as UA is in *A, and *Gs get into RCCs, increasing the price of RCC membership will not eliminate the crowd.
I have never seen the IAD lounge anywhere as crowded as the FRA are now since the RCC closed.
exbayern is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2011, 1:56 pm
  #677  
 
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Can I access this lounge with my RCC card if not flying a *A carrier?
TWA Guy is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2011, 2:32 pm
  #678  
 
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Originally Posted by jasp25
which one is nicer tho?

*G can use the Senator Lounge, *G + RCC club card lets you access downstairs.
Senator Lounge has a good view of the tarmac. You can see LH planes approaching directly towards the lounge. See the pictures I posted here.

Business Lounge downstairs has no window.
CAPT Tee is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2011, 6:09 pm
  #679  
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Originally Posted by TWA Guy
Can I access this lounge with my RCC card if not flying a *A carrier?
strict rules say no and LH is well known for following the strict rules.

Customer must present a valid eligible paid lounge membership card
Customer must also present a boarding card for a same day Star Alliance flight departing from the local airport.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old May 16, 2011, 12:06 pm
  #680  
 
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Expanded IAD LH lounge hours

I was in the LH Senator lounge at IAD last week and the hours have improved. Regrettably, I didn't take the time to note these longer hours. My apologies. But the lounge is definitely open for one long block through the day, rather than two small blocks of 8:20-11 a.m. and 1:30-5:30 p.m. as was the case in January.

I arrived at the lounge just after noon on Thursday, May 12, and found the lounge open. Only three other customers. Good beer, service and environment as others have noted.
flavorflav is offline  
Old May 26, 2011, 9:37 am
  #681  
 
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Flying on LH 1st...use LH Lounge or UA Lounge?

I have two friends flying this Saturday through IAD.

They go CLT-IAD on a United First class ticket, then IAD-MUC on a Lufthansa First class ticket.

I've never flown LH out of IAD or flown First class international out of IAD so I had two questions that I was hoping people could answer:

1) Will their LH flight leave out of concourse B? If so, they will arrive in C or D I imagine since those are United terminals (even if flying on a CR7) and need to get over to the B concourse, correct?

2) I know LH doesn't have a first class lounge at IAD but I'm assuming they will have access to LH business/senator lounge in B terminal. Would they be able to get access to United's International First class lounge (can't remember if it is in C or D) when they arrive and then later make it over to LH lounge? In other words, if they're flying into IAD on United in First (domestic) and on a United Mileage Plus 1st Class European award (but on LH) can they use the UA 1st class lounge or is that specifically reserved for UA members flying international first?

Thanks in advance!
n8onUA is offline  
Old May 26, 2011, 1:20 pm
  #682  
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Originally Posted by n8onUA
1) Will their LH flight leave out of concourse B? If so, they will arrive in C or D I imagine since those are United terminals (even if flying on a CR7) and need to get over to the B concourse, correct?
Yes, all LH-operated flights leave from B.

CLT-IAD on a CR7 may arrive at C, D, or A (for example, today's two Mesa CR7s on the route split between A and D; the ExpressJet flights all used A).

If arriving at A, it's a reasonably long hike from the A gates to the LH Lounge and gates.

If arriving at C/D, the best option is to go to the main terminal (via train or shuttle bus, depending on where you arrive in C/D), then take the train to B. The train station for B is almost directly across from the LH lounge once you get up the escalators from the station itself.


Originally Posted by n8onUA
2) I know LH doesn't have a first class lounge at IAD but I'm assuming they will have access to LH business/senator lounge in B terminal. Would they be able to get access to United's International First class lounge (can't remember if it is in C or D) when they arrive and then later make it over to LH lounge? In other words, if they're flying into IAD on United in First (domestic) and on a United Mileage Plus 1st Class European award (but on LH) can they use the UA 1st class lounge or is that specifically reserved for UA members flying international first?

Not sure if they'd be allowed access, but IMHO it's not worth the trek all the way down to the far end of C (the IFL is at C2 IIRC) and back to B. The LH Senator Lounge is fine.
exerda is offline  
Old May 26, 2011, 1:25 pm
  #683  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Originally Posted by flavorflav
I was in the LH Senator lounge at IAD last week and the hours have improved. Regrettably, I didn't take the time to note these longer hours. My apologies. But the lounge is definitely open for one long block through the day, rather than two small blocks of 8:20-11 a.m. and 1:30-5:30 p.m. as was the case in January.
Would someone be good enough to note, and then post here, the summer hours? In a remarkable lapse of Teutonic efficiency, the LH website still shows the winter hours (with midday closure).
beltway is offline  
Old May 27, 2011, 3:10 am
  #684  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: UA 1K MM, United Club, AA EP, BR, CI, CX, WN, SPG, HH, Marriott Gold, LeClub Accor PLAT
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Originally Posted by beltway
Would someone be good enough to note, and then post here, the summer hours? In a remarkable lapse of Teutonic efficiency, the LH website still shows the winter hours (with midday closure).
I was there about 10 days ago and left just before closing time, as they were boarding the flight to Munich. Instead of walking back into the terminal and queuing up at the gate, lounge patrons heading onto MUC, used the breezeway from within the club to reach the adjoining gate, to board the aircraft.

The Opening Hours signage, above the Star Alliance Gold placard, said: 0820 - 18:30
iAMreallyBORED is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2011, 7:11 am
  #685  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by CAPT Tee
Senator Lounge has a good view of the tarmac.
......

Business Lounge downstairs has no window.
So is the business lounge effectively the exact same just its windowless?

Flying LH C with no status and wondering if this is the best spot to kill time on my layover.

Cheers.
hockeyfan12 is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2011, 10:18 am
  #686  
 
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Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
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Originally Posted by hockeyfan12
So is the business lounge effectively the exact same just its windowless?

Flying LH C with no status and wondering if this is the best spot to kill time on my layover.

Cheers.
If flying LH, this will be your best option and convenient.

UA's gates and lounges are not closeby.
wanaflyforless is offline  
Old Jul 25, 2011, 10:24 am
  #687  
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Does anybody know if this lounge still does the First Class dinner service? I haven't seen the area blocked off in a while. I'm on 415 in a few weeks and would like to try and have dinner in the lounge first.
nevansm is offline  
Old Jul 25, 2011, 12:36 pm
  #688  
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Originally Posted by beltway
Would someone be good enough to note, and then post here, the summer hours? In a remarkable lapse of Teutonic efficiency, the LH website still shows the winter hours (with midday closure).

I was just there in June (more recently than flavorflav) and was dismayed to find the lounge closed at 6pm. So no good if you get stuck on a delayed evening flight heading west.
Boraxo is offline  
Old Jul 25, 2011, 3:55 pm
  #689  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted by Boraxo
I was just there in June (more recently than flavorflav) and was dismayed to find the lounge closed at 6pm.
My guess is because LH 415 to MUC now leaves at 6:45 pm instead of 8:15 pm.
CAPT Tee is offline  
Old Jul 25, 2011, 4:29 pm
  #690  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Posts: 8,135
Originally Posted by beltway
Would someone be good enough to note, and then post here, the summer hours? In a remarkable lapse of Teutonic efficiency, the LH website still shows the winter hours (with midday closure).
Originally Posted by iAMreallyBORED
The Opening Hours signage, above the Star Alliance Gold placard, said: 0820 - 18:30
Originally Posted by Boraxo
I was just there in June (more recently than flavorflav) and was dismayed to find the lounge closed at 6pm. So no good if you get stuck on a delayed evening flight heading west.
Originally Posted by CAPT Tee
My guess is because LH 415 to MUC now leaves at 6:45 pm instead of 8:15 pm.
In the grand tradition, the LH website still shows the lounge as open til 6:30pm.
beltway is offline  


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